Ebun Francis || President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday while receiving a report of the panel established to review the operational, technical and administrative structure of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), said those found culpable in the Ikoyi cash scandal will be dealt with according to the laws of the land.
The President said the discovery of such huge sums of money in the flat was ‘‘unfortunate incident which rightly aroused public interest and outcry”.
Buhari said, ‘‘All the circumstances surrounding the obtaining, keeping custody and disbursement of the funds have been examined by the vice-president’s committee and all those found to be culpable will be made to account and appropriately sanctioned.”
‘‘However, it must be understood that this cannot be done in a manner that jeopardises national security or exposes the operations of any intelligence agency, which must, by nature be conducted in secrecy.
‘‘Suffice it for me to assure all that justice will be done consistent with our anti-corruption policies.”
He commended the presidential review panel on NIA led by Babagana Kingibe, for completing their assignment expeditiously and expressed hope that the recommendations of the panel and that of an earlier committee headed by the vice- president would assist government in improving the operations of the NIA and the overall national security architecture.
The President sais, ‘‘Your panel’s recommendation, informed as they are by your collective experience and expertise in this field, should in particular help to reposition the NIA to better perform its vital functions with greater professionalism.”
“The Osborne Tower incident and its aftermath has also brought to the fore the need to review the entire National Security Architecture, which has now been in operation as established 31 years ago.
‘‘Once again, I thank you very much for undertaking this national assignment.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had in April uncovered $43, 449, 947, £27, 800 and N23, 218, 000 at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.